


The Story Teller's Wife

by wisia



Category: DCU
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-03
Updated: 2012-11-03
Packaged: 2017-11-17 15:40:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/553174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wisia/pseuds/wisia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Dick retells his meeting and marriage with Tim in various forms. AU!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The boy who used to live in Gotham

The storyteller of the troupe gathered all the children. And he told them a story, his blue eyes twinkling and merry as his wife looked on.

There was a boy who lived in the city of Gotham, home of the bleak and dreary. There the nights were lasting and skies forever grey. There it was an unhappy place to be born and to live. And this boy, this boy who lived in the city of Gotham, was offered a way out of this unhappy city.

“Come away with me,” Dick said, hand open and outstretched. “Come away with me and be my love.”

And Tim smiled at that. Smiled at the words of Marlowe echoing in the line and gave the Nymph’s reply.

“Don’t be silly,” he said. “What would I even do if I were to join your troupe?”

Because Dick was a Flying Grayson, meant for higher aspiration, who only came to Gotham twice a year, and Tim was just a boy who lived in the city of Gotham.

Dick laughed and tugged on Tim’s hand, taking it into his. He traced the lines across the palm, reading all of Tim’s heart and soul.

“I told you—come and be my love.”

“Yes,” Tim said dryly. “I’m going to be a housewife.”

“Not just any housewife,” Dick disagreed with a twinkle in his eyes. “My housewife. My wife.”

Tim pulled his hand away, felt his palm tingled from the loss of contact and he wore away the bottom of his lip with teeth.

“I can’t. Gotham is all I’ve ever known. Be serious. What do I know of breathing fire or juggling balls?”

“But don’t you want to see the sights and the sounds of the world?” Dick asked arms spread wide to indicate the enormity of the Earth. He painted the pictures with his hands, used his sweetest voice because the city of Gotham was bleak and dreary and his beloved lived there.

Tim wavered here because he did. He did want to see the world with Dick at his side even if he couldn’t tightrope or tell fortunes.

“No,” he said instead. “I’m content where I am. I can read about all the places you speak.”

Tim smiled for Gotham, smiled for his unhappy home, bleak and dreary.

“I can’t convince you otherwise?”

And Dick’s eyes were so blue and bright that Tim had to shake his head because if he spoke words would tumble for those eyes.

Please. I’m lying. I want to come with you.

Dick heard them, the soundless words behind tight lips because he knew Tim and his tells and his lies. Knew them as he knew the darkness of Gotham that threatened his beloved. He took command.

“You have nothing here for you, Tim. Come with me and I can give you something even if it isn’t much.”

He pressed his lips to Tim and slipped out the window of Tim’s second story room.

“Come with me and be my love.”

And this boy, this boy who lived in the city of Gotham, home of the bleak and dreary left. He was the boy who used to live in an unhappy city.

He is the storyteller’s wife.


	2. The Cursed Prince

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There was a prince cursed to be female.

There was a prince who lived in Gotham, a changeling brought to the King’s lap. He was all fair and sweet and white, a godly child. His name was Timothy.

And there was a wizard who lived by the Pits, all cruel and mean who hated Gotham with ferocity, but even his heart melted at the sight of this prince with cherub cheeks and sky blue eyes. So this wizard, Ra’s, casted a spell. For Timothy to be female until he had a love true and bear a child with that love.

The wizard believed it would be he.

Timothy grew and grew till he was sixteen years. And then, oh then, he was so dear even if trapped in female form. He was still fair and sweet and white, all cherub cheeks and sky blue eyes. And for that the King forbade the prince from leaving the kingdom. Ra’s would come for him, and he could not let his son go to evil hands.

But the prince was restless and begged for entertainment. He did not like staying in the castle, closed up and dark. And this is where the tale turned.

Because there was a travelling troupe with tricks and cards and acrobats that came to the kingdom of Gotham. And with this band of gypsy lore came Richard of Grayson.

Timothy loved him at first sight, but he dare not approach this handsome man. Because he wasn’t a female true and who could say this man with laughs and brightness would love him still as a man? And so Timothy watched and sighed for the week they came and stayed, eyes fixed on that man.

And this man, Richard, was no fool. He noticed the eyes of this prince, this princess of Gotham. Noted her form, gentle and meek and shy. Noted how her gaze would fall on him. He felt her love and admiration and wooed her with gust and sincerity.

Timothy loved him so. Who wouldn’t for this man so keen and bright? But he still feared to know what Richard would think, that the man would leave the moment he found out. And Timothy avoided all but the chastest kiss.

The wizard, Ra’s, heard of this blooming love. He was enraged for Timothy would be none but his own. And he had the pleasure to inform Richard of the truth in a twisted way.

Timothy wept and fled to a tower. Because Richard could not love him now.

He was wrong.

Richard with his acrobats and love climbed the tower to convince Timothy of his honesty.

And nine months later with a child’s birth, Timothy was a man. Still fair and sweet and white, cherub cheeks and sky blue eyes. They lived happily ever after.

“Ow!” Dick rubbed the back of his head. “What was that for?”

“For speaking nonsense. What kind of story teller are you?” Tim asked.

“Aw, but you enjoyed it,” Dick declared. And Tim did. He was the story teller’s wife.


	3. The Fey Prince

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He stole the fey prince away.

There was a boy named Timothy with raven hair fair and blue eyes like the sky. And this boy, Timothy, dwelled in the land of the fey. He was the Fey Queen’s child, prince and heir, and he dwelled in the fey land, gay and merry.

But one day there was a shift in the air, and a rumble went through all the land. It was one of the treasured days when a guest may come and play. And if he should be so dumb to forget, the guest shall never return to whence he came and remain at Fey Court for all his life.

The guest was a handsome man of twenty, made of earthly flesh. He was Richard, a prince among his own men.

“Welcome to our court,” the Fey Queen said and opened her arms wide for the festivity. “Enjoy the dance and the food.”

And it was a splendid affair with colored lights in air and silver bells that rang and chimed. The music tingled. Food and drink were plenty, but Timothy saw the man wasn’t a fool.

Richard drank no drop of fairy wine and had no morsel of fairy food. But he smiled and laughed and danced with all the fey beings in their circle dance. He would not be enamored to the fey world, and even when Timothy tried to coax and sway, Richard would not give. He laughed and took Timothy’s hands in his, pulling him to dance.

And at a passing turn, Richard whispered into Timothy’s ear.

“I have no need for drink or food. I only need to feast on the sight of you.”

That made Timothy blush well and good, so much so that even his wings were translucent rose.

“You lie, human,” Timothy retorted at a second pass, and this time Richard held him fast. They had danced away from the circle dance, into the fields close to the border to human land.

“Do you know why I have entered your land?” Richard asked.

“I assumed you were trapped.” Timothy was vicious in his tone. Many humans wandered in foolishly. There were few who came out willingly. Richard laughed and held him faster still.

“I came willingly. They say there is a beauty among the fey, greater than the Fey Queen herself. That is you.”

Richard’s eyes twinkled bright, and Timothy’s wings bloomed a darker rose.

“Enough of your lies,” Timothy hissed. His heart was touched, and for that he conceded this year’s guest.

“Leave before day breaks or you shall remind here for eternity.”

“I will,” Richard said and hauled Timothy over his broad shoulder. “And I shall take you for wife.”

And Timothy could not object. He was whisked away to the human land.

He was the prince’s fey wife.


End file.
